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ScrappyJac
BucketHead
PeaNut 433,506
August 2009
Posts: 650
Layouts: 2
 |  Posted: 1/17/2013 3:45:12 PM
I am new to digi scrapping...I have just been playing around a bit over the last few months. However, I am already running into issues on how to organize all of my supplies. I have accumulated quite a bit of freebies. How do you organize your supplies? | |
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lizj
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 242,431
January 2006
Posts: 9,895
Layouts: 539
Loc: Los Angeles
 | Posted: 1/17/2013 4:56:18 PM
It's good you're considering this issue early. Are you on a PC or a Mac? What program are you using? I use the PSE Organizer on my PC, and ACDSee on my Mac. Each one has pros and cons. |
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ScrappyJac
BucketHead
PeaNut 433,506
August 2009
Posts: 650
Layouts: 2
| Posted: 1/17/2013 9:11:52 PM
I have a PC and use PSE for editing. I haven't attempted any file organizing yet, other than to save them in folders on my hard drive. Most of the free files haven't even been unzipped yet. | |
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lizj
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 242,431
January 2006
Posts: 9,895
Layouts: 539
Loc: Los Angeles
| Posted: 1/17/2013 9:53:39 PM
The PSE Organizer is actually my favorite organizer. Open it. Think of some categories you might use more often (pp, templates, embellishments, brushes, word art). Create the category, and tag your supplies. You won't be sorry. I have 90,000+ digital items categorized in the PSE Organizer, and when I want to find pink ric rac, it's as simple as a click of the category. Like I said, you're smart to start indexing at the beginning. Once you get into the habit, it's just part of the download process! |
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Chinagirl828
PeaFixture
PeaNut 181,117
December 2004
Posts: 3,714
Layouts: 330
Loc: Melbourne, Australia
 | Posted: 1/18/2013 12:18:44 AM
I use Picasa to tag my supplies and agree with Liz that you're smart to start this process while you're still relatively new. I use tags in Picasa in the same way Liz does in organiser. Some of my categories are really broad (like "paper" and "embellishments" and some are more specific (like "stars" and "arrows". I'll happily apply multiple labels to a product if I think I'll search for it in multiple ways. So I might be looking for a little something to finish a layout so I'll start by looking at "embellishments". Then I might see a colour and decide I want something in that colour family so I'll reduce my search by colour as well. Then I might decide I need something floral, or a button/brad and filter by that too.
If you set your labels up the way you think when you're looking for pieces to add to your lo you shouldn't go wrong.
All my files are in a "digital scrapping kits" folder sorted into subfolders by designer on an external hard drive that is permanently plugged in to my computer. I keep a "to be tagged" folder that also shows in Picasa so I can browse through things I haven't labelled yet if I feel like scrapping rather than labelling. Once I've tagged these they get moved to the designer subfolder. I have Picasa set up to do a live read on both these locations so the files move from the "to be tagged" folder to the designers folder within seconds. |
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Karen
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ScrappyJac
BucketHead
PeaNut 433,506
August 2009
Posts: 650
Layouts: 2
| Posted: 1/18/2013 7:27:58 AM
Thanks, ladies! This is great advice. Prior to tagging, how are the folders organized on your computer? Since I am just unzipping files at this point...not even to the tagging step...I am wondering if there is any sort of organizing I should do at this step. | |
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lizj
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 242,431
January 2006
Posts: 9,895
Layouts: 539
Loc: Los Angeles
| Posted: 1/18/2013 8:50:14 AM
Thanks, ladies! This is great advice. Prior to tagging, how are the folders organized on your computer? Since I am just unzipping files at this point...not even to the tagging step...I am wondering if there is any sort of organizing I should do at this step.
All my files are in a "digital scrapping kits" folder sorted into subfolders by designer on an external hard drive that is permanently plugged in to my computer. I keep a "to be tagged" folder that also shows in Picasa so I can browse through things I haven't labelled yet if I feel like scrapping rather than labelling. Once I've tagged these they get moved to the designer subfolder. I have Picasa set up to do a live read on both these locations so the files move from the "to be tagged" folder to the designers folder within seconds.
This is good advice -- if you are unzipping folders but not yet ready to tag them, you can keep them in a "to be tagged" folder. But, if you are going to use the PSE Organizer to tag, don't tag them in a folder that you will be moving, the Organizer isn't as smart as Picassa or ACDSee and can't follow the folder to a new location.
I organize my folders on my computer under store>designer>type. So, for example, I have folders that look like: 2peas>Dianne Rigdon>embellishments. I put any kind of stand-alone embellishment designed by Dianne into that folder, such as her "Fastenation" kit of brads and eyelets. If it is a full kit (w/pp plus embellishments), I would put that in 2peas>Dianne Rigdon>kits. Consider how you would think to look for your supplies, and that is how you should house them on your computer and further, how you should tag them in the Organizer. HTH! |
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kesatterwhite
PeaNut
PeaNut 564,901
August 2012
Posts: 16
Layouts: 3
| Posted: 1/18/2013 1:29:37 PM
I am new as well. I found this video on Youtube very informative for using PSE organizer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_6dBn5Fs3I
I also purchased the book "Photoshop Elements Basics & Beyond-Photo Editing-Organizing-Digital Scrapbooking" by Patty Debowski. It is great as well.
As far as downloading files, and saving to your HD, I use a system similar to one in the book. I have a folder titled "Scrapbooking Supplies" under My Documents. Inside that folder, I have a folder for each webstore that I have downloaded/purchased from. Then, I have a folder for each artist inside the store folders.
I hope this helps. | |
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ShanB
PeaAddict
PeaNut 187,882
January 2005
Posts: 1,441
Layouts: 198
Loc: southern ontario
| Posted: 1/18/2013 6:16:09 PM
another picasa user here. thank goodness they are neatly tagged and sorted in picasa because the folders on my computer are a mess  |
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Chinagirl828
PeaFixture
PeaNut 181,117
December 2004
Posts: 3,714
Layouts: 330
Loc: Melbourne, Australia
| Posted: 1/19/2013 1:09:53 AM
I organize my folders on my computer under store>designer>type. So, for example, I have folders that look like: 2peas>Dianne Rigdon>embellishments. I put any kind of stand-alone embellishment designed by Dianne into that folder, such as her "Fastenation" kit of brads and eyelets. If it is a full kit (w/pp plus embellishments), I would put that in 2peas>Dianne Rigdon>kits.
I used to do something similar to this until I had a hard drive crash and an epiphany that I usually open the files up straight from Picasa to PSE so I never needed to look for them by such specific paths. I now just have my master folder "digital scrapping kits" and then subfolders with the designers names. Any kits I purchase by that designer just get thrown in there so Adrienne Looman's folder has several subfolders of kits such as "Vintage Notebox" and "Petunia". I generally leave these with whatever name the designer has given them.
To open a file from Picasa to PSE I just right click and choose "Open With" PSE. It's a system that works well for me. |
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Karen
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blinks14
PeaAddict
PeaNut 41,620
June 2002
Posts: 1,417
Layouts: 101
Loc: Reading, PA
 | Posted: 1/20/2013 11:01:04 AM
I have ACDSee on my Mac and tagging things was becoming so cumbersome. I need a new system.
I do have all my file folders organized though by store which I purchased. Then each kit is organized with a folder each for papers, elements and alphas. I keep the preview and tou just inside the kit folder so I can see it right away when I'm browsing in ACDSee. |
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mshanhun
PeaNut
PeaNut 333,512
August 2007
Posts: 61
Layouts: 14
Loc: Perth, Western Australia
 | Posted: 1/20/2013 8:56:53 PM
Oh I love love love PSE Organizer!
In the more recent version (PSE11) it's super quick - you can even find by colour automatically!
I did a video of how to Organize your supplies for Lain Ehmann's site
I just love how flexible it is. |
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mshanhun
PeaNut
PeaNut 333,512
August 2007
Posts: 61
Layouts: 14
Loc: Perth, Western Australia
| Posted: 1/20/2013 8:57:38 PM
Of course it won't let me link up to the post  . But if you go to DigiScrapHQ on youtube you'll see some videos about PSE Organizer there |
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